LTE, streaming to a car near you soon

Ericsson’s latest Mobility Report, released this week, highlights the continuing trend for mobile data traffic to double each year thanks to smartphones and, in particular, tablets and mobile PCs. Video accounts for a large chunk of this increased traffic – almost 40% of mobile data on tablet devices.

In this week’s CrossTalk Kursten Leins, Head of Strategic Marketing at Ericsson Australia, talks about the findings and how EMBMS (Evolved Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service) – something akin to multicasting for LTE networks – might help alleviate peak demand for popular services.

Perhaps we’ll increasingly be consuming this video and audio in our cars. Alex Luft, founder of GMAuthority.com, explains the deal between General Motors and AT&T, which will see LTE devices in cars from next year. It’ll create new opportunities for apps and infotainment, but it’ll also put pressure on the network.

So what does this mean for the radio industry? The car is the one place the internet has been largely ignored. After all, it’s illegal to drive and surf. But, with 4G streaming, is the Internet about to turn another industry on its head? DMG Radio’s Cathy O Connor says it always gets down to the quality and relevance of the content.

The reality is, the influence of mobile will always be constrained by it’s availability – both in terms of geographic reach and available capacity. Demand will always exceed supply, something which operators need to ensure is reflected in their pricing models.

POSTS BY MONTH

ABOUT PHIL

Phil Dobbie is a broadcaster and writer, with a wealth of business experience behind him too. He was a partner in an ad agency, he's been the marketing head at various technology companies and ran the Australian operation of the British Tourist Authority.

But his real love is the creation of content - as a journalist for ZDNet and others. He likes to spend time behind the microphone, creating radio shows and podcasts - he's done thousands of them, for CBS, National Australia Bank, BBC and CommsDay.

He's available to present radio shows and produce podcasts. Or any other exciting projects that come along.